Aloha with Love (2022) Movie Script
[upbeat music]
[upbeat music]
[upbeat music]
[upbeat music]
[upbeat music]
[upbeat music]
[upbeat music]
[upbeat music]
[upbeat music]
[computer keys clicking]
[door knocking]
- Hey stranger.
- Darren, Hi.
- I had to come take a look at
the presentation for myself.
Wow.
That is efficient.
Not an inch of wasted space.
I love that.
Barrington is gonna be thrilled.
- You think so?
- I'm so glad I recommended
you for this project.
- [chuckles] Me too.
Me designing and you selling.
We make a great team.
- I agree.
- Ooh, I was actually able
to upgrade some of the units
to three bedrooms,
so we have the master bedroom
with an en suite,
two small bedrooms
with Jack and Jill's.
- Oh, it's perfect, for
his and her offices.
- Or children's bedrooms.
- Oh, yeah, for anybody who's
into that sort of thing.
- Like us, right?
- Yeah.
You know, someday.
When we're married.
Someday.
First, let's lock down
this Barrington deal.
And then, we can plan the rest
of our lives together.
- You realize that you're
putting our life together
in the hands of a billionaire
developer saying,
yes, to a PowerPoint.
- Yeah, absolutely.
That's why you gotta crush
this pitch.
[sighing]
That's Barrington.
I should go greet him.
- I should come, too.
- No, no, no, no, you stay here.
I want him to see you
in action, you know,
when you're more in control.
I'll go schmooze him,
tee it up,
and you...Bring it home.
- [chuckling] Okay.
[sighing]
Thank you, for this opportunity,
Mr. Barrington.
Now with mortgage rates
at an all-time low,
and single-family developments
at an all time high,
my question for you is,
how do we make
condo developments
a "can't miss" investment?
Well, I believe the answer is
to build a community complete
with every must-have amenity.
Dedicated garages, pool, spa,
exercise gym, park spaces,
a coffee shop.
Twin Pines is a world
unto itself.
- You're very... Sunny.
Aren't you?
- [chuckles] Well, I try to be.
- What about maintenance fees
and utilities?
- I have included the most
sustainable building methods.
We have green roofs with solar,
thermal cladding
on the exterior,
and gray water plumbing systems
for irrigation
for the green belts.
I estimate that we can lower
common utility costs by 17%.
- I can't wait to start moving
these units for you, sir.
I imagine we're gonna have
a waiting list of people
wanting in on this community.
- How many units?
- 66.
- That's 10 less
than we asked for.
- Oh, if that's a deal breaker,
then I'm sure we can get
those additional units back.
Right, Gemma?
- We could.
But, I don't believe
it's the most aesthetically
pleasing option,
or the best use of the space,
in my opinion.
- Well in my opinion,
I think we're done here.
- Oh, wait.
Mr. Barrington.
This is just our first cut
at the project.
Why don't you give us
your notes,
and we'll come back to you
with some revisions.
- No, no no, that's
not necessary.
We're gonna go with the proposal
from Ken Jordan Architects.
They seem to understand our...
sensibilities, better.
- Good day.
[door opening]
- I'm so...sorry, I really
thought that Twin Pines
checked all of
Barrington's boxes.
- He said 76 Units.
You gave him 66.
And hoped your creativity
could cover for it.
- It's the best use
of the space, Darren.
- Better for who?
For Barrington?
Or for you?
The client is always right.
- Darren.
I signed off on this design.
I agreed with Gemma.
- [chuckling] Well, it's not
benefiting anybody now, is it?
All right, I'm gonna go
after him,
to try to salvage
this opportunity.
I put too much work in this.
- You've put too
much work into this?
[sad piano music]
I really thought I checked
all the boxes, Patti.
- Sometimes, I guess
the boxes we don't see
are the ones that need
to be checked the most.
[patting shoulder]
[sad piano music]
- I crashed and burned,
Auntie Lani.
- [Auntie Lani] You don't look
burned to me, Peanut.
You look beautiful.
- Thank you, Auntie Lani.
- I know how hard
you worked on this,
and I know how much
it means to you.
- I just, I spent
so much time on it,
and I thought that I nailed it.
I even missed your special
birthday, and for what?
It was all over
in five minutes.
- Chin up, young lady.
Did you love how your
design turned out?
- I thought that I did.
But now, I don't know
what to think.
- Well, you just keep
doing what you love,
success will follow.
I promise.
- But I just really...
- No buts allowed.
"Buts" just keep you
down in the dumps.
"Yes ands" are what
keep you going.
- [sighing] A little island
wisdom from the queen of Maui?
- [chuckling]
[speaking Hawaiian]
- What's that one?
[chuckling] My Hawaiian's
a little rusty.
- Come home more often,
it wouldn't be.
What I said was,
"Put on your dancing shoes,
and leave the shame at home."
- Okay, I will.
Hey, I love you, Auntie Lani.
- [Woman] Lani, it's time!
- I got a bunch of oldsters
waiting for me to play bingo.
I love you too, Peanut.
[phone buzzing]
[sighing]
[city noises]
[footsteps]
- Hey, thanks for the invite.
- So, Patti told you they're
going with the other architect?
- Yeah, she did.
Are you gonna be okay?
- I guess I have to be.
They're also going with
another real estate agent.
- Maybe I can talk to them
and explain how my design
would really benefit them.
- This could've been a year's
worth of living, for both of us.
Put a lot of equity in
our relationship bank.
- Well, never really thought
about our relationship
like a checking account, but...
I know something else
will come up.
- I just didn't realize how
naive you can be, sometimes.
- I'm not naive, Darren.
Why are you talking
to me like this?
- I'm frustrated we lost
the job, Gemma.
- Yeah, so am I.
But I didn't go to architecture
school for four years
just to bury my opinion
in a meeting.
- I think we should
slow things down.
Take our time.
- Right.
'Cause four years
in a relationship
is really rushing things.
- Now you're being flighty.
Sunny, and flighty.
- No, I'm just being myself.
I'm being honest.
And I won't apologize
for being me.
Like you've been asking
me to do for years now.
You know what, Darren?
I'm done.
- That's not what
I'm asking for.
- I know you're not.
It would be easier if you were.
I hope that you have the life
of your dreams, I really do.
But I can see now that I
just can't be part of it.
Goodbye, Darren.
[light music]
[door knocking]
- What's wrong, now?
- I just blew up my life.
- Oh, boy.
- You know, on the way
to lunch, I thought,
"Everything's gonna be fine."
I even fantasized that today
was going to be the day
that he popped the question.
[crying]
- I'm not really
the hugging type, but...
We'll get you through this.
I know you don't see me
as the P.J. wearing,
romcom marathon
watching type of girl,
but when a man breaks my heart,
I break out the ice cream.
[laughing]
So, let's get you out of here
and into the freezer
section, pronto.
[phone buzzing]
- [sniffing] Just a sec.
It's my sister.
Hey, Sarah.
- [Sarah] Gemma, how
fast can you get here?
- Why, what happened?
- [Sarah] It's Auntie Lani.
It was her heart.
It finally gave out.
- Wait, what?
No, no, I just talked
to her this morning.
- [Sarah] She's gone, Gem.
Dad is a wreck.
Can you come home?
Please?
- I'll be on the first
flight out.
[sobbing]
[airplane engines]
[piano music]
[car door shutting]
[sad music]
- Thanks for getting
here so quickly.
- How's dad doing?
- He was having lunch with
Auntie Lani when it happened.
- I'm just so grateful that he
was there with her when...
[sighing] Dad went inside to
say hi to the airport manager.
[sad music]
- Good to see you, Peanut.
[sad music]
- How you doin', Dad?
- I'm, I'm hangin' in there.
How 'bout you?
How 'bout you?
Come on.
It's a blessed day when
we're all together.
[speaking Hawaiian]
[sad music]
Where's what's his name?
- Things have changed
with Darren, Daddy.
- Chee-hoo!
- Daddy.
- Come on.
[sad music]
[car door shutting]
[sad music]
- I forgot how much
I miss your baking.
- [chuckling] Just something
I threw together.
- Hmm, really?
- So?
Tell me everything.
- I guess after four years
of dating,
we just weren't growing together
as a couple anymore.
- You do realize that
dating for four years
is not really supposed
to be a thing, don't you?
- It's not?
- No.
That's just sort of being a...
perpetual renter at love,
but never really getting
your name on the mortgage.
That is something that
Auntie Lani would have said.
[chuckling]
I guess we were just
in kind of a rut.
We didn't kiss as often,
we forgot to say "I love you..."
A lot.
- Girl.
That's old, married
couple stuff. [giggling]
Trust me.
I know.
But I got the ring,
and until death do us part,
and that's what gets you
through the ruts.
But sometimes, one step back
is two steps forward.
- See?
- What?
- That, is Auntie Lani talking,
right there.
I'm really gonna miss her.
- Me, too.
- Gemma.
Oh, my God, it is
really good to see you.
- You, too.
- Really.
- [chuckling] Thank you for
looking after my elderly sister.
- Hey! [laughing]
- Where's Emma?
- Well, on the way home,
she saw some friends
surfing off road,
so she's catching
a few more waves.
Gem, you know you can stay here
as long as you want, right?
- Thank you, but,
I can only stay through
Auntie Lani's service.
- Well, we'll just have to make
an island girl out of ya
while we have you.
[chuckling]
[birds chirping]
[ocean waves crashing]
[people talking]
[Hawaiian music]
- It is so nice that
everyone came out here
to celebrate Auntie Lani.
- Yeah, she had a lot of
good family and friends.
- Auntie Gemma!
- Emma!
Look at you.
What happened to
that little girl?
You're such a beautiful
young woman, now.
- Mm-hmm.
And that's what all the boys
at her school are saying, too.
- Dad.
Mom, can I go to the
movies with Kiki?
- You most certainly can't.
We're here for Auntie Lani,
remember?
[Emma groaning]
But you may call Kiki to invite
her over to join you here.
- Cool.
- I just had a flashback
of you two as teenagers.
- Aloha.
It's certainly nice to see
the Ohana together.
- Sarah, Gemma, this
is Franklin Decker,
Auntie Lani's attorney.
- Nice to meet you.
- Nice to meet you.
Your Auntie Lani,
she had two assets.
One is her house, and
the other is the land
that that house sits on.
And we all understand how
much that land is worth
compared to that structure.
And the monies that she
did leave, she wanted,
she wanted that money
to go towards
the renovation of the house.
- Auntie Lani loved
that old house.
It would be a perfect
project for you, Dad.
- [chuckling] Well, if I may,
Auntie Lani had something
else in mind.
Auntie Lani gave this
house to you, Gemma,
and to you, Sarah.
- What?
- What?
- That house is a wreck.
- Wait, Sarah.
- Sorry, Dad, it's just
that after she moved
into the retirement home,
the house sort of fell apart.
- Mr. Decker, did Auntie Lani
say anything
about what she wanted us
to do with the house?
Sell it?
- H-h-h-hold it.
I can't believe you two
are talking like this.
Auntie Lani was like
a mom to you.
Even after your own
mother passed away.
If you decide to sell
this property,
both you and Sarah will share
in the proceeds.
But...
- But what?
- Gemma, you're gonna have
to renovate the property.
- What?
- What?
- If you want to sell
this property,
your auntie wanted Gemma
to oversee the work.
Otherwise, this house
cannot be sold.
- But I have to go back to
the mainland after the service.
I can't stay and renovate
the house.
- Yeah, but, if you think
about it, Gemma,
it's kind of the perfect plan.
You're an amazing architect
and designer.
- Well, you know what's not
perfect about that plan?
That I have a job
to get back to.
And Auntie Lani knew that.
I don't know what
she was thinking.
Renovating that house could
take weeks, even months.
- I get it.
I understand, but your
auntie was very clear.
And once you finish the work,
once you're done,
then both you and Sarah can
either sell it, rent it,
or move into it, it's
completely your choice.
- Well, if I agree to do this,
I'm gonna need a contractor.
- [chuckling] Well, your
auntie was so akamai,
she was so smart, that she
had already planned this.
Well, I took the liberty
in inviting this gentleman
here, today.
- Ben!
- Emma.
- Ben?!
Hi!
[upbeat music]
- She wanted to
hire Ben Fincher?
- Well, your auntie was very
explicit as to who she wanted.
- Wait, didn't Gemma date him
in high school?
- Shh!
[clearing throat]
- [nervous chuckling]
Please, dear God,
tell me that I'm being pranked.
[upbeat music]
- Aloha, Gemma.
- Ben.
- Long time, no see.
- Not long enough.
- Still holding a grudge, huh?
- Me?
No.
Every 17-year-old girl
should get stood up
by their homecoming crush.
Have to dance all by themselves.
- It's not like I was
off with another girl.
- Oh, well, maybe
not technically, but,
leaving me to go surfing
is pretty much
the same thing as cheating.
- Cheating?
I was competing in the state
surf championships in Oahu.
- Let's not quibble
over the details.
It's all water under
the heartbreak bridge.
- [sighing] Great.
You know, I was really sorry
to hear about your Aunt Lani.
She was... one special lady.
- Yeah, she really was.
How exactly did she choose you
to be the contractor?
- Believe me, I was just as
surprised as you to find out
that she wanted me.
- Oh, so you were just
as ambushed as I was
with this whole
renovation project.
- I wouldn't say I was ambushed,
I was thrilled she asked me.
Using my hands to make
old things new,
that's what I was made to do.
- Well, my life in L.A. is
what I was made to do,
and I need to get back there.
So...
- Hey.
- Let's get this thing
done like, yesterday.
- Yes, ma'am.
Hey, you know, this
could be kinda nice.
If you just forgave me.
- I'll think about it.
- Good.
And I hope life has treated
you more kindly in the 15 years
since I cheated on you,
with the ocean.
- Absolutely.
Could not be better.
- Yeah, I, Lani told me that you
work in L.A. as an architect.
- Wow, well, I'm glad my life
was a topic of conversation.
What else did Auntie Lani say?
- Well, just that she wasn't too
fond of your boyfriend, Darren.
- Wow, was nothing off-limits?
And, for your info,
former boyfriend.
- Oh, ah...
Sorry.
- Did Auntie Lani have any
advice about your life?
- Maybe, a little.
- Oh.
So when it's questions
about you, you become
all man of few words.
- Fair enough.
Yes, she was a little concerned
that in the last 15 years,
I hadn't found
the right woman yet,
but I assured her that I love
being a contractor and ah,
my life is perfect.
- Mm, so...
Ambushed, or not ambushed?
- Okay, ambushed.
[chuckling]
So, tomorrow, bright and early?
- Count on it.
- Great.
[music and talking]
- Okay.
I'm only here 'til we're
ready to flip the house,
and then I'm on
the first plane out.
- [sighing] So focus on that.
Besides, you know you
love that old house.
- [chuckling] That
was a long time ago.
- You and dad would
be there all the time,
fixing stuff for Auntie Lani.
[laughing] You were such
a little tomboy.
- What?
I was not a tomboy.
Okay, fine, maybe.
Just like, a little bit.
But I didn't have mom
around to pamper me
when I was younger,
like you did.
[sighing]
- That's true.
And teach me how to bake.
- Sarah, you were born to bake.
Mom knew that.
- She knew you would
become an architect.
- Really?
You think so?
- You were born for it.
Remember Auntie Lani had
Dad's old Tinker Toy set
at her house, from
when he was a boy?
[chuckling]
Well, you were a whiz
with those.
So when you think about it,
there's no conspiracy here.
Auntie Lani chose you to
renovate her house because...
there's no better person
to do it.
Of course it doesn't explain
why she matched you
with the hottest contractor
on Maui to help you.
- Okay.
- And the last time
I saw that place...
[groans] Well, put it this way.
You got your work
cut out for you.
- It can't be that bad.
[sighing]
Okay, it is a dump.
- [sighs] yeah, it went to pot
after Auntie Lani moved out.
If you listen carefully,
you can almost hear
the structure groaning.
- No, I actually think
that's me groaning.
- It'll be fine.
A little elbow grease
and, good as new.
- Oh, you mean my elbow grease.
- Glad you could make it.
Was taking a look at the siding.
Only gonna need a few slats
here and there.
- I thought we beat you here.
- Yeah, well contractors do get
a bad rap for being late.
I believe in being early.
- Well, except homecoming.
- Ouch.
- I don't think you're out
of the woods just yet, Ben.
- Nope, he's fine.
I'm just kidding, no woods here.
- Good.
I promise not to be late
to this dance.
- Well, I guess that's
my cue to leave.
Have fun, sis.
- Absolutely beautiful.
- We are talking about
this house, right?
- The house was damaged from
a hurricane a few years ago,
but, look at this old soul.
Given up so much of herself,
it'll appear she doesn't
have much left, but,
it couldn't be further
from the truth.
A little broken, but
she's still standing tall.
We just need to remind her
of what she once was,
and what she could be again.
- Well, I think it's a little
more of a refresh
than a square one redo.
- You haven't seen
inside yet, have you?
- No.
I just want to honor
what my auntie asked for.
Nothing more, nothing less,
so let's keep it professional.
Stay on the clock, so we can
both get back to our life.
ASAP.
- You're the boss.
- Yes, I am.
[door cracking]
- Whoa, whoa!
Let me get that for ya.
[upbeat music]
- Wow.
This is not how I remember it.
- Yeah, it happens when
they sit empty for too long.
This place hasn't seen any TLC
since your auntie moved out.
- Eight years ago.
[paper tearing]
Oh!
[chuckling]
Thanks.
- Yeah, no problem.
[clearing throat]
- It's gonna need
a whole new floor.
- Yeah, but we can just
tear up the linoleum and-
- Replace it with a new tile.
- Exactly.
It'll look good as new.
[chuckling] Maybe
I should go first.
[phone ringing]
- Wow, the kitchen is
a complete redo.
What do you say we
knock this wall out,
and really open up this room.
- Refresh, not redo.
Remember?
- Sorry, I see it up here.
This house knows
what it wants to be.
It's my job to bring it to life.
- Just, keep that
window where it is.
- You sure?
- One of my favorite things
as a kid,
Auntie Lani and I used
to just stand here
and spot the whales
breaching off shore.
- Alright, then I say
we keep the whale window
but we make it bigger.
[soft music]
- I like it.
Auntie Lani would have loved
the whole open floor plan.
She spent most of her time
outside on the beach.
- Exactly.
So let's make her interior an
extension of the outside world.
Wait a minute, are we fixing
this place up for you
or to sell to some nice couple?
- Let's check out the backyard.
- Okay.
[waves crashing and music]
[waves crashing and music]
- We'll have to replace
this deck, dry rot.
We can use composite wood,
it weathers better.
- We could just replace
it with some simple steps
leading up to the door.
- And not have a back lanai
in Maui?
- It'll give it more
backyard space.
- Space is one thing
this place has plenty of.
Okay, we keep the lanai.
Family needs a place
to sit and barbecue
and tell embarrassing stories.
- I think that's your
magical picture, not mine.
[waves crashing and music]
[footsteps]
- I wanna get rid of the
fireplace so just box it in.
- Gemma, it's the best feature
in the entire house
and you want to
make it disappear?
Look. Look at the character
in that old brick.
- You mean the cracks?
- I mean the character.
- No one in Hawaii needs a
fireplace so just cover it up.
And I don't want any of the
walls knocked down either, okay?
It's too time-consuming.
- But what about what
the house wants to be?
- Every change costs
time and money.
And I don't have
a lot of either.
- Okay look, I have
never gone over budget
on any of my jobs.
I can stretch the money if you
can stretch the time.
- Time is the one thing
that I don't have a lot of.
I need to get back
to my real life in LA.
[footsteps]
Hey, can you just give me a ride
back to my sister's place?
- Gemma wait, can
we talk about this?
I mean, I don't know
what happened in there
but did I offend you somehow?
- Just business.
Apparently we just have
different opinions
about how it should be done.
- It's never just business
for me, Gemma.
I don't do this work
just for the paycheck.
Probably no more than
you design buildings
just for a paycheck.
- You don't know me
well enough to say that.
- You know what, you're right,
I don't.
But a job should be done right
and for a minute there I thought
you and I were on the same page
but it's just starting
to seem like you're not.
- You know what, Ben?
I appreciate your opinion,
but it's my house.
- Maybe it's none
of my business.
- You're right.
It is none of your business.
- Fair enough.
- I guess you're not
familiar with the idea
that the client is always right.
- No, I get it.
And that's the part of
my job I hate the most.
Know-it-alls dictating where
the next nail's gonna go.
But you know what?
Life is too short.
If the client knew it all
they wouldn't come to me.
If that's the way you
want it then, sorry.
I'm just not the right guy
for this job.
- It's your choice.
[door slams]
[gentle music]
[scraping sound]
- Hey, Dad.
Can I talk to you for a minute?
- Got as many minutes
as you want, my dear.
- Whatcha working on?
- Coffee table for Auntie Lani.
It was supposed to be in her
room at the retirement home.
This lovely piece of wood
came from her favorite tree
on the property.
- And it'll be perfect
to have something
to remember her by
after we sell the house.
- Yeah, maybe so.
- That is if we sell the house.
- Wait a minute, what
are you talking about?
- Ben and I weren't exactly
seeing eye-to-eye on the reno
and he quit.
- Wait a minute, wait a minute,
I know Ben, he's not a quitter.
- Yeah, well, he quit, Dad.
He did.
- You know, are you sure?
'Cause he's not
that kind of guy.
- I may have fired him.
- Ahhh, that doesn't sound
like you either.
[sigh]
I'm really sorry
about that, Gemma.
You know Auntie Lani wanted Ben
to do the renovations
so maybe we'll give
Franklin a call
and see how flexible the will is
and maybe we'll get
somebody else, okay?
- Yeah, it seems like it's
gonna take a lot longer
than we thought and I
really need to get home.
- I always felt Maui
is your home.
You may live over there, but
Maui will always be your home.
- You know what I mean, Dad.
I really need to get back.
I still think that you
should finish the house
and live there yourself.
- Ha ha ha.
Are you kidding?
And give up living
in my RV, Betty Lou?
No way, brah.
Ha ha ha.
See out there?
That was my secret surfing
beach with your mother.
Yeah.
Rippin' the lip.
Jammin' the jaws.
[chuckling]
- My surf rat daddy.
[claps]
- You know, Auntie Lani
did not leave me the house.
She left it to you
and your sister to decide
what the right thing is to do.
And I know your sister
has this dream
about opening up a bakery-
- Wait, what?
She never told me about that.
- Yeah, well Emma's
getting older
and one day she's gonna
leave the nest and
well, your sister is
gonna need a purpose.
- Don't we all, sometimes.
Alright, well I guess
I better go figure out
what my options are.
- You know, Gemma, all I've
ever wanted for my girls
was for them to be happy.
- We know that, Daddy.
We want the same thing for you.
- I love you.
- Love you.
[uplifting music]
- Ugh.
Darren, please just
leave me alone.
[computer ding]
What is happening?
No, no, no, no.
Don't spinning-pinwheel-of-death
me.
[quiet singing]
[singing in Hawaiian]
[singing in Hawaiian]
[singing in Hawaiian]
[singing in Hawaiian]
[singing in Hawaiian]
[crowd murmurs]
[crowd murmurs]
- So do you think there
might be a time in your life
where you could give a guy
a second chance like Ben?
- Dad, I think he might be
a little nuts.
I mean, he keeps referring
to Auntie Lani's house as a she.
- Ah.
Like I refer to my hale,
as Betty Lou.
- Ha.
- Do you know why
Auntie Lani chose Ben
to do the renovation
on her house?
- I think I have
a pretty good idea.
- No, not because you were
sweet on him in high school.
That might've been a part of it.
But because Ben told Auntie Lani
that her home was her legacy.
For our whole family, our ohana
to be remembered for at least
a hundred years.
- He said that?
- Yeah, he said that.
- Wish me luck.
- Good luck.
- Hey, Ben?
- Hey.
It's a beautiful service.
- Thank you.
I actually wanted to apologize.
You were right.
About Auntie Lani's house.
Her legacy deserves better.
Please come back?
- Okay.
On one condition.
We work together to bring
her house back to life, okay?
It's not my show,
it's not your show.
It's our show.
Together.
- The house is always right?
- The house is always right.
See you in the morning?
- Yeah.
- Okay.
- Oh and ah, bring
your sledgehammer.
- Ha.
Hey, Emma?
- Yeah?
I need to ask you a favor.
Could you take a look
at my laptop?
I think it crashed.
- Spinning pinwheel of death?
- Yeah.
And there is an email on there
that I really need to open.
- Well, who is it from?
- If I say you're
gonna think I'm crazy.
- I already think that, but
it could be a phishing scam
that ghosted your
operating system.
- Ghosted?
Okay, that does not sound good.
- Or well-deserved karma
for firing Ben.
But I can see what I can do.
- Thank you.
- Yeah, of course.
[gentle music]
[gentle music]
[sigh]
[car doors close]
- You beat me here
and you have blueprints.
- Well, I just wanted
to show you
that us mainlanders
can be prompt too.
And my dad never throws
anything away.
- Gemma, Ethan.
Ethan helps me out
on my jobs sometimes.
- Whoa, brah.
You never said she
was gonna be so hot.
- Ethan, she's not hot.
She's a lady.
Just show her some
respect, alright?
- You guys do know that
I'm standing right here
and I can hear everything
that you're saying, right?
Nice to meet you, Ethan.
- It's fixer-upper time!
- Sorry about that, he doesn't
exactly have any filters.
He just says whatever
springs to mind.
- Kinda reminds me
of this surfer kid
I used to know back
in high school.
- Touch.
Would you like me to
carry that in for you?
- Nope, I got it.
- You sure?
- Need to carry my own
weight around here.
Okay, phew.
[sigh]
- Alright, well.
You're the architect, wanna
sledge the first wall?
- In all honesty, I've never
actually sledged before.
- Oh, it's the best.
Here.
Let me show you.
- Oh, I don't need-
- Yes, you do.
Come on.
Left hand here.
Fix, now.
Right hand right about there.
- Okay.
- Now, it's more
about using the legs
rather than the back and arms.
Balance is the key.
[soft music]
- Well, I think... you got it.
- Yeah, I think I've got it.
Okay.
[thud]
- Okay, um...
You know, just let it out.
- Let what out?
- Everything in your life
that's weighing you down.
Just put it in your
swing and, oh!
Let it out.
- Okay.
I miss my Auntie Lani.
I never asked for
this old house.
I would give it up in a
second to have her back.
Wasted the last four years of
my life with my ex-boyfriend
and I will never get that back.
I don't even like
designing buildings
for penny-pinching
old businessmen.
It doesn't make me as happy
as I thought it would.
Ugh!
- That!
Let that out.
- Okay.
Ugh!
- Oh!
- Yeah!
- That was awesome!
[upbeat rock music plays]
[slamming sounds]
[upbeat rock music]
[ripping sounds]
[hammering]
[upbeat rock music]
[upbeat rock music]
[sighs]
- It was a good day.
- Yeah.
You swing a mean sledgehammer.
- Not gonna lie, it
felt really good.
- Yeah, there's
nothing I love more
than breathing new
life into old things.
- Hey, can I ask you a question?
- Yeah.
- What happened to you
after high school?
- Well, after knocking around
the surf circuit for awhile
and realizing there was
probably more to life,
I went to college
in New York.
I ended up getting a minor
in 17th-century
Eastern-European
Romantic literature.
- Ha.
Well, that explains a lot.
- Then I got a job
in billboards.
- Billboards?
- Advertising...
billboard space.
I hated it.
I was basically creating
mindless slogans
for people to look at for two
seconds as they drove past.
It took me three years
of misery to realize
that's not what I wanted
to do with my life.
So I eventually moved back here
and learned the
renovation business.
- Mm.
Now I understand what
Legacy Renovations means.
- Yeah, your Auntie
Lani did too.
I gave her that second
chances speech
and she hired me on the spot.
- Ha ha...
Well, I'm glad she did.
- Me too.
[guitar strumming]
- Okay, my turn.
Back in the house,
when you were getting
your sledgehammer on,
- Mmmhmm.
- It sounded like you
had a few things
you had to work out back in LA.
- It does, doesn't it?
- I hope being home helps
you find your answers.
- Me too.
[soft slow music]
- So I was thinking we'll
want the hardwood floor
in the living room to
flow into the wall tile
of the kitchen,
what do you think?
- I agree.
And since we have the
gray quartz countertops
I think we should use
this for the back-splash.
Ombre.
And then we can use
cabinets to finish it off
to match the floor?
- And stainless
steel appliances?
- Sounds good.
- I love it. Ha.
You know, your sense of design
is quite impressive, ma'am.
- Hm, well.
I guess there's more to
you than just demos, sir.
- Well, thank you.
- [chuckles]
- So...
I spilled my guts yesterday.
Now it's your turn.
- Okay.
What do you wanna know?
- After high school, then what?
- Well, my dad tried to
keep me on the right path
but I was a little lost.
So I kind of knocked around
between a bunch of random jobs.
It was actually my Auntie Lani
who kicked me out of the nest.
She told me, do what I loved
and that the money would
take care of the itself.
So I followed my Tinker Toys,
and my angles,
and my math brain to college.
- And that's when you
went from island girl
to a big-time L.A. architect?
- Oh, I wouldn't say big-time.
I'm just a junior
partner at my firm.
But occasionally in my dreams,
I'm Frank Lloyd Wright.
- Ahhh..
So what is it you love the most
about being an architect?
- That's easy.
It's that first moment
when a client
walks into a completed project
and you just know
that you nailed it.
You fulfilled all of
their hopes and dreams
and they usually wipe away
a few tears of happiness.
Man, I live for those
tears of happiness.
But I guess having
your happiness
depend on other
people's happiness
is a risky proposition, right?
- Yeah, maybe.
I mean, isn't that
what it's all about?
- What is?
- Love.
- I wasn't talking about love.
- Sure, you were.
I asked you what you love
about being an architect
and you told me.
You know, I think in life,
work, in people,
love should be the heart
of everything we're about.
I know it can be risky,
but I don't know,
I think it's worth it.
- You know, I think you're
just a little bit deeper
than you were in high school.
- Yeah, maybe I grew up
a little bit.
You know, I know what
I'm going to wish for
the first time I see this
place when it's finished.
- Hey, uh, guys?
Were you planning on
replacing the window
above the kitchen sink?
- Okay, thanks, Ethan.
I'll come in and check it out.
[hammering]
- Why're you taking down
that old crown molding?
It's still in good shape.
- Yes, it is.
And I would absolutely insist
that we just repaint it
if it weren't upside-down.
- Upside-down?
- Yeah.
This... is how it's
supposed to go.
- Wow.
- Be honest.
- Honest about what?
- Come on, I know you're
a big-time architect and all.
- Okay, here we go.
- But you're impressed.
I know it.
- Okay, yes, I'm impressed.
[laughs]
- And I saved us a whole
bunch of time and money
and I know you love that.
- Hmm.
I do love that.
[laughs]
- Ow! Ow ow!
- Okay.
Okay.
- It really hurts, ooh, God.
- Alright, lemme see.
Lemme see, lemme see.
- Okay.
It doesn't look too bad.
- Ow ow.
- But you're probably gonna
lose that pretty thumbnail
of yours eventually.
- What?
[whimpering]
- Alright.
Gimme your hand, I'm
gonna put some ice on it.
- No, no, no, it's gonna burn.
- Come on now.
The ice will help keep
the swelling down.
- It still really hurts.
Did you just kiss my boo-boo?
- I kissed your boo-boo baggy.
Is it feeling any better?
- I don't know.
Yes?
We should get back to work.
- Not with that thumbsicle.
I say we knock off early today.
Give yourself a chance to heal.
Besides, there's something
I wanna show you.
- We can't lose a day.
- It won't be a total loss.
I promise.
[uplifting music]
[laughing]
- Wow.
- Happy homecoming, Gemma.
- You did all this?
- It's actually what I
had Ethan doing all day.
- I don't even know what to say.
- Could you really feel at home
without a proper homecoming?
Better late than never, right?
Come on.
[uplifting piano music]
- The Spam Loco Moco
was delicious.
I've never had it in
a cardboard box before.
- It's the best Ethan
could do on short notice.
- Hmm.
Zippy's on Ho'okelee Street?
- You still know
your Maui fast food.
- Yeah, I do.
- Well, since this is
a makeup homecoming
I still owe you one more thing.
- What's that?
- I'm going a little old school.
- Ha ha.
You do know that when I
said I was dancing by myself
I was just joking, right?
- I do.
But no more dancing by yourself.
This feeling that
I feel inside-
Do me the honor?
Every time I see
your gorgeous smile
Yeah, I get lost in
your perfect smile
Because I love the
way that you are
Oh, babe, I love the
feel of your touch
Can't get enough of the
sweetness all of your kiss
- So you recreated
the dance, the song,
the moment that our lives
went on separate paths.
Did Auntie Lani put
you up to this too?
- Nope.
Not this time.
It was all me.
But I will take that
as a huge compliment.
- Well, I think she
would approve.
- Wasn't really looking
for Auntie Lani's approval.
Just yours.
- Well, we didn't get
this far 15 years ago.
What happens next?
- What should have
happened then.
I'll never let you go
Because I love
the hours we share
Laughing and talking
without a care
You are so lovely and
nothing else compares
'Cause you're my beautiful
[ducks quacking]
- That was so sweet of Ben.
I think I just got a
cavity hearing about it.
- Okay, I'm not quite sure
what to make of it yet.
- I do.
You're falling for him, girl.
- Don't make such
a big deal of it.
- He kissed your boo-boo.
- [Gemma] Okay,
maybe a little bit.
- [Sarah] So...
What do you think?
- Grandma's Coffee House.
What about it?
Oh, are we stopping
in to get coffee?
- Nope.
I've been dreaming of
this place a few years.
I'm hoping it becomes the
new home of Sarah's Bakery.
- [Gemma] Sarah,
it's perfect for you.
- I know.
As soon as you and
your homecoming king
get that house finished,
the sooner Darren
can get it sold.
- Wait, Darren?
- Yeah, he called with his
condolences about Auntie Lani
then offered us his real estate
services to sell the house.
As a gift in her honor.
- Sarah.
Please tell me you
did not say yes.
- Not exactly.
It was more of a... a maybe.
- He's my ex!
- I know.
And I realize it may
be awkward for you.
But it was so sweet
of him to offer.
And we'd save a ton in
commissions with him.
Doesn't that make good...
business sense?
[upbeat music]
- Yes.
I guess it does.
- Mm-hm.
- Alright.
I am going to need
a very large coffee.
Listen to the radio
in your car
Grab my tent
Set up camp, fall asleep
in the backyard
We can daydream carelessly
Stay up all night
with the stars
Give me a melody
Sing to me endlessly
It's the world against us
and my guitar
Don't say that you'll
call me maybe
I want to hear you say
"yes, definitely"
In your secret note,
telephone
Throw rocks at my window
Baby, let me know
Meet me at my
back porch swing
We'll sing our
favorite love songs
Under moonlight,
dancing all night long
Three, six, strings at
the top of our lungs
Ooo, even the sunrise
Can't stop us
Can't stop us
Can't stop us
Oh, oh, oh
Can't stop us
Can't stop this, oh
Oh, oh, oh
Oh, whoa, oh
Can't stop us
Oh, whoa, oh
[upbeat music]
- Darren?
- Hey... Gemma.
- I was just painting... inside.
Uh, Darren. This is Ben.
Ben, Darren.
- Heard a lot about you.
Nice to meet you.
- Uh, Ben's renovating
the house.
- With Gemma.
Actually, we're, uh,
renovating it together.
- Oh!
Long way to go, huh?
- Ah, right on schedule, really.
- Hey guy, do you mind
giving us a moment?
- Guy?
[laughs]
- Hey, I'll be just
a few minutes, okay?
- Fine.
This, uh, guy will be right
inside if you need me.
- I guess the contractors
here aren't all
they're cracked up
to be, are they?
- Oh, Ben is fantastic.
I am the amateur.
- Got it.
- But you didn't need
to come here, Darren.
We could have done
this long distance.
- That's true.
But... I can't deny wanting
to see you again.
To present my proposal
in person.
- Don't you think it's a little
late...for a proposal?
- Okay. I deserve that.
And you were right about
a lot of what you said
when we broke up.
But I think I figured out
a way to fix everything.
- Everything?
I thought you just came down
here to help us list the house?
- That was job number one.
But then I got a better idea.
It's even bigger than that.
- What are you talking about?
- Paradise.
For three dozen families.
Think about it. This prime
oceanfront is worth a fortune.
And I already spoke to Orville
Barrington about backing us.
He loves the idea.
You design it, I sell it.
We build it together.
We do our own version of
Twin Pines right here.
The point is...
Your family can benefit from
your auntie's inheritance
in more ways than
they can imagine.
Instead of just
flipping this house,
Sarah gets her bakery.
- How do you even
know about that?
- With the money
from this deal
your dad could go on
a world wide tour of
all the best surf spots.
Emma could get a real
start on life.
She could go to the
college of her choice.
- That's all true.
But it is really unnerving
coming from you, Darren.
- Okay, just think about
the opportunity here.
- What's in it for you?
- This property would be
a financial game-changer
for me, too.
For both of us.
- You have always
been about the deal.
- No, not, not since
you broke up with me.
I've been trying to see
things more like you do.
- Oh, well, I thought
I was just...
sunny and naive?
- That was a really
stupid thing to say.
I'm really sorry about that.
- I gotta get back
in there, but...
I will think about it.
- Great. I'll be on the island
for a few more days.
I've already got the
paperwork drawn up
if you want to move
forward with this.
This could happen fast.
You could start revising your
Twin Pines footprint
immediately,
and Barrington will be on
the first flight here...
the moment you say yes.
[lighthearted ukulele music]
[lighthearted ukulele music]
[lighthearted ukulele music]
- Everything okay?
- Can we just call it a day?
- It's not like you
to shut down early.
Schedule... and all.
- I need to talk to
Sarah and my dad.
- What did he say?
- Darren has an investment
group that...
wants the whole property
for a condo development.
- What about finishing
the house?
- There would be no point if
we go with the development deal.
We'd just have to demo it
all to the ground.
- And you would
be okay with that?
- Financially...
it would mean a whole
new life for my family.
And, and my feelings don't
really matter when
it's what's best for the family.
- What about Auntie Lani?
And what she hoped for
for the renovation?
- Ben, she left me this
property to figure out
what to do with it.
And, and...
that is what I'm trying to do.
- Just let me keep working.
- It would be a waste, Ben.
If we're just going
to tear it all down,
there would be no point.
- I'm sorry, Gemma.
I'm just not ready to say
goodbye to this house.
- I can't do this right now.
Just... can you just
pack up your tools?
Uh, I need to go talk
to my family.
- Okay, so, it's settled then?
- I think it's kind of amazing.
[sighs]
Grandma's Coffee House...
Here I come.
- So you're telling me that
if I pick up my grades the last
two years of high school,
and wanted to go to the mainland
to the private college
of my choice, I could?
- You could.
So... it's settled then?
Dad? You've been kind of quiet.
- I have a couple things
I have to do back at home,
so I'll catch up with
you all later, okay?
[slow soft music]
- Dad?
Dad, I need you to talk to me.
Hey!
I miss her too.
[slow soft music]
- This table was supposed
to be in her room
at the retirement home,
so we had a little piece
of her home for her there.
I started this table
four or five years ago,
and there was other priorities,
there was other jobs.
I couldn't finish it...
before she died.
- Dad, that is not your fault.
Stuff happens, and Auntie
Lani would have understood.
- Yes, I know.
But I am going to
finish this table.
Because we need a piece
of her legacy...
before we bulldoze
down that house.
- Yeah... we do.
- [sniffles] And you know,
just to let you know,
I don't need the world
surfing tour.
I'm very happy the way
I live right here,
just like this.
And you and your sister...
are my aloha.
And will always be.
[soft slow music]
- I really hope that
the condo project is...
the right choice.
- You have your auntie
with you always.
You have your momma
with you always.
And they were a lot
smarter than me.
And so are you.
- A'a I ka hula, waiho
I ka maka'u I ka hale.
- And I agree.
Mahalo ke akua.
[soft slow music]
[soft slow music]
[knocking]
- Come in.
- So, the spinning pinwheel
of death means that you need
to clean out your laptop
more than once every decade.
Your hard drive was full
of digital garbage that
was just slowing
everything down.
That's the reason why your
email was being balky.
- So it's fixed?
- It's fixed.
- And I wasn't ghosted?
- You weren't ghosted.
Well, you better hurry
up and get ready.
We do not want to be
late for the signing.
- Okay.
- Gemma...
There was something
I wanted to say earlier
when we were on Skype.
And I held back because I
don't ever want you to think
I'm interfering with your life.
But after we hung up
I kicked myself.
Of course, I want to interfere,
because you're my little peanut.
So, here goes...
When it comes to love,
don't ever settle for less
than you deserve.
True love is more than
a practical choice.
I pray God brings you a man
who will love and cherish you,
not for what you can give him,
but for who you are.
Yeah, I know I'm biased,
but you are a very
special young lady
who is going to change
the world with your gifts.
And you deserve someone
who will see that in you,
like I do.
Oh no, I gotta go.
I'm late to meet
your daddy for lunch.
A hui hou.
I love you, Peanut.
[soft music]
- I love you, too, Auntie Lani.
[crying]
[car pulling up]
[car doors close]
[upbeat music]
- I thought you said you stopped
working on the house?
- We did.
- I don't think Auntie Lani
got the memo.
- Neither did Ben.
- Oh my gosh.
[upbeat music]
- I...
I don't understand why
Ben finished the exterior.
- I learned long ago
never question a miracle.
- Aloha,familia!
[chuckles]
Mr. Burke!
Hey!
Whoo-hoo.
Good to see you again.
- Mr. Barrington, this is my
dad, Pono, my sister, Sarah,
my niece, Emma, and my
brother-in-law, Mike.
- Nice to see you all.
This is the most
beautiful property
I could ever hope to develop.
And I'm glad to see there's
no hard feelings between
us about Twin Pines.
- No, sir.
- Gemma would never burn bridges
with a business relationship.
- Well, shall we get started?
- Who should we start with?
Start with Sarah?
All right! Uh, do you mind...?
Thank you.
There we go.
- Auntie Lani would have loved
what you did with the house.
- Here...
and here...
and hello bakery.
Perfect.
And actually...
I have my own special pen
for Gemma to sign with.
- Wow.
Wow, um...
what is this?
Darren?
- It's my amends... to you.
I'm sorry for blindsiding you,
but just, I didn't want
to ruin the surprise.
- You are unbelievable.
- What's going on here?
- Please, indulge me for
a moment, Mr. Barrington.
- You're proposing
to the sunny girl?
Oh, lovely.
- What did you just call me?
- Gemma, sweetheart, I thought
this would be a romantic way
to start our new partnership.
To restart...
our life together.
- Darren, we don't have
a life together anymore.
- But we could.
We could be partners
in every single way.
[upbeat ukulele music]
- No... we can't.
[laughs]
- Why not?
- It wasn't until just now
that I realized that...
I already have a partner.
Mr. Barrington, my apologies
for Darren bringing you
all this way for nothing.
And...
Sarah, I promise that
I will help you find a way
to get your dream.
[sighs]
The deal is off.
I am not selling the property.
- Gemma... please.
- I could sue you for this.
- Yes, you could.
But I suggest that you just
stay for a couple of days.
Sit on the beach, let
the waves lap your toes.
Do a little snorkeling
and let the ocean,
just wash all of that
pompous off of you.
And then you can head
back to the mainland,
and be a sunnier,
more naive human being.
- I will have your firm
shut down so fast
that you don't even-
[hand slap on shoulder]
- Tell you what, Brotha,
why don't you follow me home?
I'll teach you how to
crack open a coconut.
Maybe you can sip on
that for a little while.
- Uh...
- Beat it.
- Darren.
[light upbeat music]
- Mr. Barrington! I...
- What now, sis?
- I go find my partner.
[light upbeat music]
- Yee-hoo!
[laughter]
[happy guitar music]
[happy guitar music]
- Wow!
I don't know if you saw,
but I just sent Darren
and Barrington packing.
- Yeah, I didn't
want to eavesdrop,
but I, uh, I watched the whole
thing through the window.
[happy guitar music]
[upbeat music]
- That's it, right there.
That's the look I wanted
to see on your face.
You know you told me you
live for the first impression
a job makes on a client.
Well, that was my wish, too.
First time you walked in here.
- It is so beautiful.
I mean, it's more beautiful than
I ever could have imagined.
Outside and in.
- I had to finish the house,
even if the bulldozers
were coming.
- I don't know how
you got all this done.
I mean, forty-eight hours ago,
you were packing up your tools.
- Yeah, I recruited a team.
My buddies at Subato Studios
stepped up with the furniture,
and I had Ethan call all
his millennial buddies.
[laughs]
I wanted you to
see it like this.
Like a woman in
a beautiful gown.
- The whale window
never looked so good.
I never thought about this
with Auntie Lani's house,
until today, when I walked in.
You turned this into a home
that I can see myself
living in someday.
- We turned this
into a home. And...
I agree.
Even if I do have to have the
furniture back in a few days.
- It's all rented?
- Yeah.
All but one piece.
- Aloha kakahiaka.
- Oh, my gosh.
- Ah-ha-ha...
Dad, you finished it.
- I did. [sighs]
- It's beautiful.
- It is.
- So you were in on this
whole conspiracy too?
- He was one of the
favors I called in.
- So, Peanut, where
would you like it?
- Over there, Dad.
It's a good place to
watch the whales from.
- All right.
- Perfect.
- Yeah.
- I love you.
- I love you too, Daddy.
- And I love you too, buddy.
- Love you, Pono.
- All right!
- So, what changed
your mind out there?
- It was something
my Auntie Lani said.
About... being with people
who love you for who you are.
Not for what you
can do for them.
You know, my whole life,
I feel like I've been trying
to be that person...
someone that I'm not.
Trying to earn their
love instead of just...
opening my arms to the people
who already love me.
- So...
who already loves you?
- Well...
my Auntie Lani was one.
And my dad.
And Sarah.
My family cares for me that way.
- Anybody else?
- Ben...
I am so sorry that
I gave up on you.
You've never given up
on this house or on me.
- I never will.
[bright guitar music]
[birds singing]
- It worked really well...
[laughs] Mmm-hm.
- Hope you guys are hungry!
- Uh, Dad is on the prowl,
so you better get those
crab cakes out here quick.
Ah, it smells amazing!
- Crab cake?
- Thank you!
- Emma made the raspberry tarts.
- I can't wait to try one.
- She's got a knack for cooking.
[giggles]
- Mmmm. Oh...
my...
- Goodness!
- Oh!
You know what, I drove passed
Grandma's Coffee House today,
and the for sale sign was down.
- Really?
Oh. Well, I hope somebody
makes good use of the property.
- Me, too.
- Yeah. Me, too!
- Wait, what?
[laughs]
- You are going to be very busy,
because you are the new owner!
- How?
- Well, I sold my condo in L.A.,
and you would not
believe how much I got
for 900 square feet
in Los Angeles.
- Enough to buy a bakery?
- 'O 'oe ke hele.
- Oh, Gemma...
Mahalo!
- [Gemma] I love you.
- Yeah, ha-ha!
You know Sarah's Bakery
is going to be great!
- Wait, you knew?
- Papa knows everything.
[laughing]
- Welcome home, Gemma.
[instrumental music]
[instrumental music]
I guess falling in love is
Just like this
Realizing there is something's
you can't change
Growing up with
An old friend
Realizing something's
stay the same
Just take my hand
And pull me in again
If you'll be my man
I'll be your happy ending
I'll be your happy ending
I'll be your happy ending
I'll be your happy ending
Somehow always
Too little, too late
We can get it
right this time
Leave it all behind
Leave the timing to fate
Even if it's just
for the night
Just take my hand
And pull me in again
If you'll be my man
I'll be your happy ending
I'll be your happy ending
I'll be your happy ending
I'll be your happy ending
Oh, oh
Oh, oh
Oh, oh
Just take my hand
And pull me in again
You'll be my man
I'll be your happy ending
I'll be your happy ending
You'll be my happy ending
Oh, oh
This is our happy ending
This is our happy ending
[upbeat music]
[upbeat music]
[upbeat music]
[upbeat music]
[upbeat music]
[upbeat music]
[upbeat music]
[upbeat music]
[computer keys clicking]
[door knocking]
- Hey stranger.
- Darren, Hi.
- I had to come take a look at
the presentation for myself.
Wow.
That is efficient.
Not an inch of wasted space.
I love that.
Barrington is gonna be thrilled.
- You think so?
- I'm so glad I recommended
you for this project.
- [chuckles] Me too.
Me designing and you selling.
We make a great team.
- I agree.
- Ooh, I was actually able
to upgrade some of the units
to three bedrooms,
so we have the master bedroom
with an en suite,
two small bedrooms
with Jack and Jill's.
- Oh, it's perfect, for
his and her offices.
- Or children's bedrooms.
- Oh, yeah, for anybody who's
into that sort of thing.
- Like us, right?
- Yeah.
You know, someday.
When we're married.
Someday.
First, let's lock down
this Barrington deal.
And then, we can plan the rest
of our lives together.
- You realize that you're
putting our life together
in the hands of a billionaire
developer saying,
yes, to a PowerPoint.
- Yeah, absolutely.
That's why you gotta crush
this pitch.
[sighing]
That's Barrington.
I should go greet him.
- I should come, too.
- No, no, no, no, you stay here.
I want him to see you
in action, you know,
when you're more in control.
I'll go schmooze him,
tee it up,
and you...Bring it home.
- [chuckling] Okay.
[sighing]
Thank you, for this opportunity,
Mr. Barrington.
Now with mortgage rates
at an all-time low,
and single-family developments
at an all time high,
my question for you is,
how do we make
condo developments
a "can't miss" investment?
Well, I believe the answer is
to build a community complete
with every must-have amenity.
Dedicated garages, pool, spa,
exercise gym, park spaces,
a coffee shop.
Twin Pines is a world
unto itself.
- You're very... Sunny.
Aren't you?
- [chuckles] Well, I try to be.
- What about maintenance fees
and utilities?
- I have included the most
sustainable building methods.
We have green roofs with solar,
thermal cladding
on the exterior,
and gray water plumbing systems
for irrigation
for the green belts.
I estimate that we can lower
common utility costs by 17%.
- I can't wait to start moving
these units for you, sir.
I imagine we're gonna have
a waiting list of people
wanting in on this community.
- How many units?
- 66.
- That's 10 less
than we asked for.
- Oh, if that's a deal breaker,
then I'm sure we can get
those additional units back.
Right, Gemma?
- We could.
But, I don't believe
it's the most aesthetically
pleasing option,
or the best use of the space,
in my opinion.
- Well in my opinion,
I think we're done here.
- Oh, wait.
Mr. Barrington.
This is just our first cut
at the project.
Why don't you give us
your notes,
and we'll come back to you
with some revisions.
- No, no no, that's
not necessary.
We're gonna go with the proposal
from Ken Jordan Architects.
They seem to understand our...
sensibilities, better.
- Good day.
[door opening]
- I'm so...sorry, I really
thought that Twin Pines
checked all of
Barrington's boxes.
- He said 76 Units.
You gave him 66.
And hoped your creativity
could cover for it.
- It's the best use
of the space, Darren.
- Better for who?
For Barrington?
Or for you?
The client is always right.
- Darren.
I signed off on this design.
I agreed with Gemma.
- [chuckling] Well, it's not
benefiting anybody now, is it?
All right, I'm gonna go
after him,
to try to salvage
this opportunity.
I put too much work in this.
- You've put too
much work into this?
[sad piano music]
I really thought I checked
all the boxes, Patti.
- Sometimes, I guess
the boxes we don't see
are the ones that need
to be checked the most.
[patting shoulder]
[sad piano music]
- I crashed and burned,
Auntie Lani.
- [Auntie Lani] You don't look
burned to me, Peanut.
You look beautiful.
- Thank you, Auntie Lani.
- I know how hard
you worked on this,
and I know how much
it means to you.
- I just, I spent
so much time on it,
and I thought that I nailed it.
I even missed your special
birthday, and for what?
It was all over
in five minutes.
- Chin up, young lady.
Did you love how your
design turned out?
- I thought that I did.
But now, I don't know
what to think.
- Well, you just keep
doing what you love,
success will follow.
I promise.
- But I just really...
- No buts allowed.
"Buts" just keep you
down in the dumps.
"Yes ands" are what
keep you going.
- [sighing] A little island
wisdom from the queen of Maui?
- [chuckling]
[speaking Hawaiian]
- What's that one?
[chuckling] My Hawaiian's
a little rusty.
- Come home more often,
it wouldn't be.
What I said was,
"Put on your dancing shoes,
and leave the shame at home."
- Okay, I will.
Hey, I love you, Auntie Lani.
- [Woman] Lani, it's time!
- I got a bunch of oldsters
waiting for me to play bingo.
I love you too, Peanut.
[phone buzzing]
[sighing]
[city noises]
[footsteps]
- Hey, thanks for the invite.
- So, Patti told you they're
going with the other architect?
- Yeah, she did.
Are you gonna be okay?
- I guess I have to be.
They're also going with
another real estate agent.
- Maybe I can talk to them
and explain how my design
would really benefit them.
- This could've been a year's
worth of living, for both of us.
Put a lot of equity in
our relationship bank.
- Well, never really thought
about our relationship
like a checking account, but...
I know something else
will come up.
- I just didn't realize how
naive you can be, sometimes.
- I'm not naive, Darren.
Why are you talking
to me like this?
- I'm frustrated we lost
the job, Gemma.
- Yeah, so am I.
But I didn't go to architecture
school for four years
just to bury my opinion
in a meeting.
- I think we should
slow things down.
Take our time.
- Right.
'Cause four years
in a relationship
is really rushing things.
- Now you're being flighty.
Sunny, and flighty.
- No, I'm just being myself.
I'm being honest.
And I won't apologize
for being me.
Like you've been asking
me to do for years now.
You know what, Darren?
I'm done.
- That's not what
I'm asking for.
- I know you're not.
It would be easier if you were.
I hope that you have the life
of your dreams, I really do.
But I can see now that I
just can't be part of it.
Goodbye, Darren.
[light music]
[door knocking]
- What's wrong, now?
- I just blew up my life.
- Oh, boy.
- You know, on the way
to lunch, I thought,
"Everything's gonna be fine."
I even fantasized that today
was going to be the day
that he popped the question.
[crying]
- I'm not really
the hugging type, but...
We'll get you through this.
I know you don't see me
as the P.J. wearing,
romcom marathon
watching type of girl,
but when a man breaks my heart,
I break out the ice cream.
[laughing]
So, let's get you out of here
and into the freezer
section, pronto.
[phone buzzing]
- [sniffing] Just a sec.
It's my sister.
Hey, Sarah.
- [Sarah] Gemma, how
fast can you get here?
- Why, what happened?
- [Sarah] It's Auntie Lani.
It was her heart.
It finally gave out.
- Wait, what?
No, no, I just talked
to her this morning.
- [Sarah] She's gone, Gem.
Dad is a wreck.
Can you come home?
Please?
- I'll be on the first
flight out.
[sobbing]
[airplane engines]
[piano music]
[car door shutting]
[sad music]
- Thanks for getting
here so quickly.
- How's dad doing?
- He was having lunch with
Auntie Lani when it happened.
- I'm just so grateful that he
was there with her when...
[sighing] Dad went inside to
say hi to the airport manager.
[sad music]
- Good to see you, Peanut.
[sad music]
- How you doin', Dad?
- I'm, I'm hangin' in there.
How 'bout you?
How 'bout you?
Come on.
It's a blessed day when
we're all together.
[speaking Hawaiian]
[sad music]
Where's what's his name?
- Things have changed
with Darren, Daddy.
- Chee-hoo!
- Daddy.
- Come on.
[sad music]
[car door shutting]
[sad music]
- I forgot how much
I miss your baking.
- [chuckling] Just something
I threw together.
- Hmm, really?
- So?
Tell me everything.
- I guess after four years
of dating,
we just weren't growing together
as a couple anymore.
- You do realize that
dating for four years
is not really supposed
to be a thing, don't you?
- It's not?
- No.
That's just sort of being a...
perpetual renter at love,
but never really getting
your name on the mortgage.
That is something that
Auntie Lani would have said.
[chuckling]
I guess we were just
in kind of a rut.
We didn't kiss as often,
we forgot to say "I love you..."
A lot.
- Girl.
That's old, married
couple stuff. [giggling]
Trust me.
I know.
But I got the ring,
and until death do us part,
and that's what gets you
through the ruts.
But sometimes, one step back
is two steps forward.
- See?
- What?
- That, is Auntie Lani talking,
right there.
I'm really gonna miss her.
- Me, too.
- Gemma.
Oh, my God, it is
really good to see you.
- You, too.
- Really.
- [chuckling] Thank you for
looking after my elderly sister.
- Hey! [laughing]
- Where's Emma?
- Well, on the way home,
she saw some friends
surfing off road,
so she's catching
a few more waves.
Gem, you know you can stay here
as long as you want, right?
- Thank you, but,
I can only stay through
Auntie Lani's service.
- Well, we'll just have to make
an island girl out of ya
while we have you.
[chuckling]
[birds chirping]
[ocean waves crashing]
[people talking]
[Hawaiian music]
- It is so nice that
everyone came out here
to celebrate Auntie Lani.
- Yeah, she had a lot of
good family and friends.
- Auntie Gemma!
- Emma!
Look at you.
What happened to
that little girl?
You're such a beautiful
young woman, now.
- Mm-hmm.
And that's what all the boys
at her school are saying, too.
- Dad.
Mom, can I go to the
movies with Kiki?
- You most certainly can't.
We're here for Auntie Lani,
remember?
[Emma groaning]
But you may call Kiki to invite
her over to join you here.
- Cool.
- I just had a flashback
of you two as teenagers.
- Aloha.
It's certainly nice to see
the Ohana together.
- Sarah, Gemma, this
is Franklin Decker,
Auntie Lani's attorney.
- Nice to meet you.
- Nice to meet you.
Your Auntie Lani,
she had two assets.
One is her house, and
the other is the land
that that house sits on.
And we all understand how
much that land is worth
compared to that structure.
And the monies that she
did leave, she wanted,
she wanted that money
to go towards
the renovation of the house.
- Auntie Lani loved
that old house.
It would be a perfect
project for you, Dad.
- [chuckling] Well, if I may,
Auntie Lani had something
else in mind.
Auntie Lani gave this
house to you, Gemma,
and to you, Sarah.
- What?
- What?
- That house is a wreck.
- Wait, Sarah.
- Sorry, Dad, it's just
that after she moved
into the retirement home,
the house sort of fell apart.
- Mr. Decker, did Auntie Lani
say anything
about what she wanted us
to do with the house?
Sell it?
- H-h-h-hold it.
I can't believe you two
are talking like this.
Auntie Lani was like
a mom to you.
Even after your own
mother passed away.
If you decide to sell
this property,
both you and Sarah will share
in the proceeds.
But...
- But what?
- Gemma, you're gonna have
to renovate the property.
- What?
- What?
- If you want to sell
this property,
your auntie wanted Gemma
to oversee the work.
Otherwise, this house
cannot be sold.
- But I have to go back to
the mainland after the service.
I can't stay and renovate
the house.
- Yeah, but, if you think
about it, Gemma,
it's kind of the perfect plan.
You're an amazing architect
and designer.
- Well, you know what's not
perfect about that plan?
That I have a job
to get back to.
And Auntie Lani knew that.
I don't know what
she was thinking.
Renovating that house could
take weeks, even months.
- I get it.
I understand, but your
auntie was very clear.
And once you finish the work,
once you're done,
then both you and Sarah can
either sell it, rent it,
or move into it, it's
completely your choice.
- Well, if I agree to do this,
I'm gonna need a contractor.
- [chuckling] Well, your
auntie was so akamai,
she was so smart, that she
had already planned this.
Well, I took the liberty
in inviting this gentleman
here, today.
- Ben!
- Emma.
- Ben?!
Hi!
[upbeat music]
- She wanted to
hire Ben Fincher?
- Well, your auntie was very
explicit as to who she wanted.
- Wait, didn't Gemma date him
in high school?
- Shh!
[clearing throat]
- [nervous chuckling]
Please, dear God,
tell me that I'm being pranked.
[upbeat music]
- Aloha, Gemma.
- Ben.
- Long time, no see.
- Not long enough.
- Still holding a grudge, huh?
- Me?
No.
Every 17-year-old girl
should get stood up
by their homecoming crush.
Have to dance all by themselves.
- It's not like I was
off with another girl.
- Oh, well, maybe
not technically, but,
leaving me to go surfing
is pretty much
the same thing as cheating.
- Cheating?
I was competing in the state
surf championships in Oahu.
- Let's not quibble
over the details.
It's all water under
the heartbreak bridge.
- [sighing] Great.
You know, I was really sorry
to hear about your Aunt Lani.
She was... one special lady.
- Yeah, she really was.
How exactly did she choose you
to be the contractor?
- Believe me, I was just as
surprised as you to find out
that she wanted me.
- Oh, so you were just
as ambushed as I was
with this whole
renovation project.
- I wouldn't say I was ambushed,
I was thrilled she asked me.
Using my hands to make
old things new,
that's what I was made to do.
- Well, my life in L.A. is
what I was made to do,
and I need to get back there.
So...
- Hey.
- Let's get this thing
done like, yesterday.
- Yes, ma'am.
Hey, you know, this
could be kinda nice.
If you just forgave me.
- I'll think about it.
- Good.
And I hope life has treated
you more kindly in the 15 years
since I cheated on you,
with the ocean.
- Absolutely.
Could not be better.
- Yeah, I, Lani told me that you
work in L.A. as an architect.
- Wow, well, I'm glad my life
was a topic of conversation.
What else did Auntie Lani say?
- Well, just that she wasn't too
fond of your boyfriend, Darren.
- Wow, was nothing off-limits?
And, for your info,
former boyfriend.
- Oh, ah...
Sorry.
- Did Auntie Lani have any
advice about your life?
- Maybe, a little.
- Oh.
So when it's questions
about you, you become
all man of few words.
- Fair enough.
Yes, she was a little concerned
that in the last 15 years,
I hadn't found
the right woman yet,
but I assured her that I love
being a contractor and ah,
my life is perfect.
- Mm, so...
Ambushed, or not ambushed?
- Okay, ambushed.
[chuckling]
So, tomorrow, bright and early?
- Count on it.
- Great.
[music and talking]
- Okay.
I'm only here 'til we're
ready to flip the house,
and then I'm on
the first plane out.
- [sighing] So focus on that.
Besides, you know you
love that old house.
- [chuckling] That
was a long time ago.
- You and dad would
be there all the time,
fixing stuff for Auntie Lani.
[laughing] You were such
a little tomboy.
- What?
I was not a tomboy.
Okay, fine, maybe.
Just like, a little bit.
But I didn't have mom
around to pamper me
when I was younger,
like you did.
[sighing]
- That's true.
And teach me how to bake.
- Sarah, you were born to bake.
Mom knew that.
- She knew you would
become an architect.
- Really?
You think so?
- You were born for it.
Remember Auntie Lani had
Dad's old Tinker Toy set
at her house, from
when he was a boy?
[chuckling]
Well, you were a whiz
with those.
So when you think about it,
there's no conspiracy here.
Auntie Lani chose you to
renovate her house because...
there's no better person
to do it.
Of course it doesn't explain
why she matched you
with the hottest contractor
on Maui to help you.
- Okay.
- And the last time
I saw that place...
[groans] Well, put it this way.
You got your work
cut out for you.
- It can't be that bad.
[sighing]
Okay, it is a dump.
- [sighs] yeah, it went to pot
after Auntie Lani moved out.
If you listen carefully,
you can almost hear
the structure groaning.
- No, I actually think
that's me groaning.
- It'll be fine.
A little elbow grease
and, good as new.
- Oh, you mean my elbow grease.
- Glad you could make it.
Was taking a look at the siding.
Only gonna need a few slats
here and there.
- I thought we beat you here.
- Yeah, well contractors do get
a bad rap for being late.
I believe in being early.
- Well, except homecoming.
- Ouch.
- I don't think you're out
of the woods just yet, Ben.
- Nope, he's fine.
I'm just kidding, no woods here.
- Good.
I promise not to be late
to this dance.
- Well, I guess that's
my cue to leave.
Have fun, sis.
- Absolutely beautiful.
- We are talking about
this house, right?
- The house was damaged from
a hurricane a few years ago,
but, look at this old soul.
Given up so much of herself,
it'll appear she doesn't
have much left, but,
it couldn't be further
from the truth.
A little broken, but
she's still standing tall.
We just need to remind her
of what she once was,
and what she could be again.
- Well, I think it's a little
more of a refresh
than a square one redo.
- You haven't seen
inside yet, have you?
- No.
I just want to honor
what my auntie asked for.
Nothing more, nothing less,
so let's keep it professional.
Stay on the clock, so we can
both get back to our life.
ASAP.
- You're the boss.
- Yes, I am.
[door cracking]
- Whoa, whoa!
Let me get that for ya.
[upbeat music]
- Wow.
This is not how I remember it.
- Yeah, it happens when
they sit empty for too long.
This place hasn't seen any TLC
since your auntie moved out.
- Eight years ago.
[paper tearing]
Oh!
[chuckling]
Thanks.
- Yeah, no problem.
[clearing throat]
- It's gonna need
a whole new floor.
- Yeah, but we can just
tear up the linoleum and-
- Replace it with a new tile.
- Exactly.
It'll look good as new.
[chuckling] Maybe
I should go first.
[phone ringing]
- Wow, the kitchen is
a complete redo.
What do you say we
knock this wall out,
and really open up this room.
- Refresh, not redo.
Remember?
- Sorry, I see it up here.
This house knows
what it wants to be.
It's my job to bring it to life.
- Just, keep that
window where it is.
- You sure?
- One of my favorite things
as a kid,
Auntie Lani and I used
to just stand here
and spot the whales
breaching off shore.
- Alright, then I say
we keep the whale window
but we make it bigger.
[soft music]
- I like it.
Auntie Lani would have loved
the whole open floor plan.
She spent most of her time
outside on the beach.
- Exactly.
So let's make her interior an
extension of the outside world.
Wait a minute, are we fixing
this place up for you
or to sell to some nice couple?
- Let's check out the backyard.
- Okay.
[waves crashing and music]
[waves crashing and music]
- We'll have to replace
this deck, dry rot.
We can use composite wood,
it weathers better.
- We could just replace
it with some simple steps
leading up to the door.
- And not have a back lanai
in Maui?
- It'll give it more
backyard space.
- Space is one thing
this place has plenty of.
Okay, we keep the lanai.
Family needs a place
to sit and barbecue
and tell embarrassing stories.
- I think that's your
magical picture, not mine.
[waves crashing and music]
[footsteps]
- I wanna get rid of the
fireplace so just box it in.
- Gemma, it's the best feature
in the entire house
and you want to
make it disappear?
Look. Look at the character
in that old brick.
- You mean the cracks?
- I mean the character.
- No one in Hawaii needs a
fireplace so just cover it up.
And I don't want any of the
walls knocked down either, okay?
It's too time-consuming.
- But what about what
the house wants to be?
- Every change costs
time and money.
And I don't have
a lot of either.
- Okay look, I have
never gone over budget
on any of my jobs.
I can stretch the money if you
can stretch the time.
- Time is the one thing
that I don't have a lot of.
I need to get back
to my real life in LA.
[footsteps]
Hey, can you just give me a ride
back to my sister's place?
- Gemma wait, can
we talk about this?
I mean, I don't know
what happened in there
but did I offend you somehow?
- Just business.
Apparently we just have
different opinions
about how it should be done.
- It's never just business
for me, Gemma.
I don't do this work
just for the paycheck.
Probably no more than
you design buildings
just for a paycheck.
- You don't know me
well enough to say that.
- You know what, you're right,
I don't.
But a job should be done right
and for a minute there I thought
you and I were on the same page
but it's just starting
to seem like you're not.
- You know what, Ben?
I appreciate your opinion,
but it's my house.
- Maybe it's none
of my business.
- You're right.
It is none of your business.
- Fair enough.
- I guess you're not
familiar with the idea
that the client is always right.
- No, I get it.
And that's the part of
my job I hate the most.
Know-it-alls dictating where
the next nail's gonna go.
But you know what?
Life is too short.
If the client knew it all
they wouldn't come to me.
If that's the way you
want it then, sorry.
I'm just not the right guy
for this job.
- It's your choice.
[door slams]
[gentle music]
[scraping sound]
- Hey, Dad.
Can I talk to you for a minute?
- Got as many minutes
as you want, my dear.
- Whatcha working on?
- Coffee table for Auntie Lani.
It was supposed to be in her
room at the retirement home.
This lovely piece of wood
came from her favorite tree
on the property.
- And it'll be perfect
to have something
to remember her by
after we sell the house.
- Yeah, maybe so.
- That is if we sell the house.
- Wait a minute, what
are you talking about?
- Ben and I weren't exactly
seeing eye-to-eye on the reno
and he quit.
- Wait a minute, wait a minute,
I know Ben, he's not a quitter.
- Yeah, well, he quit, Dad.
He did.
- You know, are you sure?
'Cause he's not
that kind of guy.
- I may have fired him.
- Ahhh, that doesn't sound
like you either.
[sigh]
I'm really sorry
about that, Gemma.
You know Auntie Lani wanted Ben
to do the renovations
so maybe we'll give
Franklin a call
and see how flexible the will is
and maybe we'll get
somebody else, okay?
- Yeah, it seems like it's
gonna take a lot longer
than we thought and I
really need to get home.
- I always felt Maui
is your home.
You may live over there, but
Maui will always be your home.
- You know what I mean, Dad.
I really need to get back.
I still think that you
should finish the house
and live there yourself.
- Ha ha ha.
Are you kidding?
And give up living
in my RV, Betty Lou?
No way, brah.
Ha ha ha.
See out there?
That was my secret surfing
beach with your mother.
Yeah.
Rippin' the lip.
Jammin' the jaws.
[chuckling]
- My surf rat daddy.
[claps]
- You know, Auntie Lani
did not leave me the house.
She left it to you
and your sister to decide
what the right thing is to do.
And I know your sister
has this dream
about opening up a bakery-
- Wait, what?
She never told me about that.
- Yeah, well Emma's
getting older
and one day she's gonna
leave the nest and
well, your sister is
gonna need a purpose.
- Don't we all, sometimes.
Alright, well I guess
I better go figure out
what my options are.
- You know, Gemma, all I've
ever wanted for my girls
was for them to be happy.
- We know that, Daddy.
We want the same thing for you.
- I love you.
- Love you.
[uplifting music]
- Ugh.
Darren, please just
leave me alone.
[computer ding]
What is happening?
No, no, no, no.
Don't spinning-pinwheel-of-death
me.
[quiet singing]
[singing in Hawaiian]
[singing in Hawaiian]
[singing in Hawaiian]
[singing in Hawaiian]
[singing in Hawaiian]
[crowd murmurs]
[crowd murmurs]
- So do you think there
might be a time in your life
where you could give a guy
a second chance like Ben?
- Dad, I think he might be
a little nuts.
I mean, he keeps referring
to Auntie Lani's house as a she.
- Ah.
Like I refer to my hale,
as Betty Lou.
- Ha.
- Do you know why
Auntie Lani chose Ben
to do the renovation
on her house?
- I think I have
a pretty good idea.
- No, not because you were
sweet on him in high school.
That might've been a part of it.
But because Ben told Auntie Lani
that her home was her legacy.
For our whole family, our ohana
to be remembered for at least
a hundred years.
- He said that?
- Yeah, he said that.
- Wish me luck.
- Good luck.
- Hey, Ben?
- Hey.
It's a beautiful service.
- Thank you.
I actually wanted to apologize.
You were right.
About Auntie Lani's house.
Her legacy deserves better.
Please come back?
- Okay.
On one condition.
We work together to bring
her house back to life, okay?
It's not my show,
it's not your show.
It's our show.
Together.
- The house is always right?
- The house is always right.
See you in the morning?
- Yeah.
- Okay.
- Oh and ah, bring
your sledgehammer.
- Ha.
Hey, Emma?
- Yeah?
I need to ask you a favor.
Could you take a look
at my laptop?
I think it crashed.
- Spinning pinwheel of death?
- Yeah.
And there is an email on there
that I really need to open.
- Well, who is it from?
- If I say you're
gonna think I'm crazy.
- I already think that, but
it could be a phishing scam
that ghosted your
operating system.
- Ghosted?
Okay, that does not sound good.
- Or well-deserved karma
for firing Ben.
But I can see what I can do.
- Thank you.
- Yeah, of course.
[gentle music]
[gentle music]
[sigh]
[car doors close]
- You beat me here
and you have blueprints.
- Well, I just wanted
to show you
that us mainlanders
can be prompt too.
And my dad never throws
anything away.
- Gemma, Ethan.
Ethan helps me out
on my jobs sometimes.
- Whoa, brah.
You never said she
was gonna be so hot.
- Ethan, she's not hot.
She's a lady.
Just show her some
respect, alright?
- You guys do know that
I'm standing right here
and I can hear everything
that you're saying, right?
Nice to meet you, Ethan.
- It's fixer-upper time!
- Sorry about that, he doesn't
exactly have any filters.
He just says whatever
springs to mind.
- Kinda reminds me
of this surfer kid
I used to know back
in high school.
- Touch.
Would you like me to
carry that in for you?
- Nope, I got it.
- You sure?
- Need to carry my own
weight around here.
Okay, phew.
[sigh]
- Alright, well.
You're the architect, wanna
sledge the first wall?
- In all honesty, I've never
actually sledged before.
- Oh, it's the best.
Here.
Let me show you.
- Oh, I don't need-
- Yes, you do.
Come on.
Left hand here.
Fix, now.
Right hand right about there.
- Okay.
- Now, it's more
about using the legs
rather than the back and arms.
Balance is the key.
[soft music]
- Well, I think... you got it.
- Yeah, I think I've got it.
Okay.
[thud]
- Okay, um...
You know, just let it out.
- Let what out?
- Everything in your life
that's weighing you down.
Just put it in your
swing and, oh!
Let it out.
- Okay.
I miss my Auntie Lani.
I never asked for
this old house.
I would give it up in a
second to have her back.
Wasted the last four years of
my life with my ex-boyfriend
and I will never get that back.
I don't even like
designing buildings
for penny-pinching
old businessmen.
It doesn't make me as happy
as I thought it would.
Ugh!
- That!
Let that out.
- Okay.
Ugh!
- Oh!
- Yeah!
- That was awesome!
[upbeat rock music plays]
[slamming sounds]
[upbeat rock music]
[ripping sounds]
[hammering]
[upbeat rock music]
[upbeat rock music]
[sighs]
- It was a good day.
- Yeah.
You swing a mean sledgehammer.
- Not gonna lie, it
felt really good.
- Yeah, there's
nothing I love more
than breathing new
life into old things.
- Hey, can I ask you a question?
- Yeah.
- What happened to you
after high school?
- Well, after knocking around
the surf circuit for awhile
and realizing there was
probably more to life,
I went to college
in New York.
I ended up getting a minor
in 17th-century
Eastern-European
Romantic literature.
- Ha.
Well, that explains a lot.
- Then I got a job
in billboards.
- Billboards?
- Advertising...
billboard space.
I hated it.
I was basically creating
mindless slogans
for people to look at for two
seconds as they drove past.
It took me three years
of misery to realize
that's not what I wanted
to do with my life.
So I eventually moved back here
and learned the
renovation business.
- Mm.
Now I understand what
Legacy Renovations means.
- Yeah, your Auntie
Lani did too.
I gave her that second
chances speech
and she hired me on the spot.
- Ha ha...
Well, I'm glad she did.
- Me too.
[guitar strumming]
- Okay, my turn.
Back in the house,
when you were getting
your sledgehammer on,
- Mmmhmm.
- It sounded like you
had a few things
you had to work out back in LA.
- It does, doesn't it?
- I hope being home helps
you find your answers.
- Me too.
[soft slow music]
- So I was thinking we'll
want the hardwood floor
in the living room to
flow into the wall tile
of the kitchen,
what do you think?
- I agree.
And since we have the
gray quartz countertops
I think we should use
this for the back-splash.
Ombre.
And then we can use
cabinets to finish it off
to match the floor?
- And stainless
steel appliances?
- Sounds good.
- I love it. Ha.
You know, your sense of design
is quite impressive, ma'am.
- Hm, well.
I guess there's more to
you than just demos, sir.
- Well, thank you.
- [chuckles]
- So...
I spilled my guts yesterday.
Now it's your turn.
- Okay.
What do you wanna know?
- After high school, then what?
- Well, my dad tried to
keep me on the right path
but I was a little lost.
So I kind of knocked around
between a bunch of random jobs.
It was actually my Auntie Lani
who kicked me out of the nest.
She told me, do what I loved
and that the money would
take care of the itself.
So I followed my Tinker Toys,
and my angles,
and my math brain to college.
- And that's when you
went from island girl
to a big-time L.A. architect?
- Oh, I wouldn't say big-time.
I'm just a junior
partner at my firm.
But occasionally in my dreams,
I'm Frank Lloyd Wright.
- Ahhh..
So what is it you love the most
about being an architect?
- That's easy.
It's that first moment
when a client
walks into a completed project
and you just know
that you nailed it.
You fulfilled all of
their hopes and dreams
and they usually wipe away
a few tears of happiness.
Man, I live for those
tears of happiness.
But I guess having
your happiness
depend on other
people's happiness
is a risky proposition, right?
- Yeah, maybe.
I mean, isn't that
what it's all about?
- What is?
- Love.
- I wasn't talking about love.
- Sure, you were.
I asked you what you love
about being an architect
and you told me.
You know, I think in life,
work, in people,
love should be the heart
of everything we're about.
I know it can be risky,
but I don't know,
I think it's worth it.
- You know, I think you're
just a little bit deeper
than you were in high school.
- Yeah, maybe I grew up
a little bit.
You know, I know what
I'm going to wish for
the first time I see this
place when it's finished.
- Hey, uh, guys?
Were you planning on
replacing the window
above the kitchen sink?
- Okay, thanks, Ethan.
I'll come in and check it out.
[hammering]
- Why're you taking down
that old crown molding?
It's still in good shape.
- Yes, it is.
And I would absolutely insist
that we just repaint it
if it weren't upside-down.
- Upside-down?
- Yeah.
This... is how it's
supposed to go.
- Wow.
- Be honest.
- Honest about what?
- Come on, I know you're
a big-time architect and all.
- Okay, here we go.
- But you're impressed.
I know it.
- Okay, yes, I'm impressed.
[laughs]
- And I saved us a whole
bunch of time and money
and I know you love that.
- Hmm.
I do love that.
[laughs]
- Ow! Ow ow!
- Okay.
Okay.
- It really hurts, ooh, God.
- Alright, lemme see.
Lemme see, lemme see.
- Okay.
It doesn't look too bad.
- Ow ow.
- But you're probably gonna
lose that pretty thumbnail
of yours eventually.
- What?
[whimpering]
- Alright.
Gimme your hand, I'm
gonna put some ice on it.
- No, no, no, it's gonna burn.
- Come on now.
The ice will help keep
the swelling down.
- It still really hurts.
Did you just kiss my boo-boo?
- I kissed your boo-boo baggy.
Is it feeling any better?
- I don't know.
Yes?
We should get back to work.
- Not with that thumbsicle.
I say we knock off early today.
Give yourself a chance to heal.
Besides, there's something
I wanna show you.
- We can't lose a day.
- It won't be a total loss.
I promise.
[uplifting music]
[laughing]
- Wow.
- Happy homecoming, Gemma.
- You did all this?
- It's actually what I
had Ethan doing all day.
- I don't even know what to say.
- Could you really feel at home
without a proper homecoming?
Better late than never, right?
Come on.
[uplifting piano music]
- The Spam Loco Moco
was delicious.
I've never had it in
a cardboard box before.
- It's the best Ethan
could do on short notice.
- Hmm.
Zippy's on Ho'okelee Street?
- You still know
your Maui fast food.
- Yeah, I do.
- Well, since this is
a makeup homecoming
I still owe you one more thing.
- What's that?
- I'm going a little old school.
- Ha ha.
You do know that when I
said I was dancing by myself
I was just joking, right?
- I do.
But no more dancing by yourself.
This feeling that
I feel inside-
Do me the honor?
Every time I see
your gorgeous smile
Yeah, I get lost in
your perfect smile
Because I love the
way that you are
Oh, babe, I love the
feel of your touch
Can't get enough of the
sweetness all of your kiss
- So you recreated
the dance, the song,
the moment that our lives
went on separate paths.
Did Auntie Lani put
you up to this too?
- Nope.
Not this time.
It was all me.
But I will take that
as a huge compliment.
- Well, I think she
would approve.
- Wasn't really looking
for Auntie Lani's approval.
Just yours.
- Well, we didn't get
this far 15 years ago.
What happens next?
- What should have
happened then.
I'll never let you go
Because I love
the hours we share
Laughing and talking
without a care
You are so lovely and
nothing else compares
'Cause you're my beautiful
[ducks quacking]
- That was so sweet of Ben.
I think I just got a
cavity hearing about it.
- Okay, I'm not quite sure
what to make of it yet.
- I do.
You're falling for him, girl.
- Don't make such
a big deal of it.
- He kissed your boo-boo.
- [Gemma] Okay,
maybe a little bit.
- [Sarah] So...
What do you think?
- Grandma's Coffee House.
What about it?
Oh, are we stopping
in to get coffee?
- Nope.
I've been dreaming of
this place a few years.
I'm hoping it becomes the
new home of Sarah's Bakery.
- [Gemma] Sarah,
it's perfect for you.
- I know.
As soon as you and
your homecoming king
get that house finished,
the sooner Darren
can get it sold.
- Wait, Darren?
- Yeah, he called with his
condolences about Auntie Lani
then offered us his real estate
services to sell the house.
As a gift in her honor.
- Sarah.
Please tell me you
did not say yes.
- Not exactly.
It was more of a... a maybe.
- He's my ex!
- I know.
And I realize it may
be awkward for you.
But it was so sweet
of him to offer.
And we'd save a ton in
commissions with him.
Doesn't that make good...
business sense?
[upbeat music]
- Yes.
I guess it does.
- Mm-hm.
- Alright.
I am going to need
a very large coffee.
Listen to the radio
in your car
Grab my tent
Set up camp, fall asleep
in the backyard
We can daydream carelessly
Stay up all night
with the stars
Give me a melody
Sing to me endlessly
It's the world against us
and my guitar
Don't say that you'll
call me maybe
I want to hear you say
"yes, definitely"
In your secret note,
telephone
Throw rocks at my window
Baby, let me know
Meet me at my
back porch swing
We'll sing our
favorite love songs
Under moonlight,
dancing all night long
Three, six, strings at
the top of our lungs
Ooo, even the sunrise
Can't stop us
Can't stop us
Can't stop us
Oh, oh, oh
Can't stop us
Can't stop this, oh
Oh, oh, oh
Oh, whoa, oh
Can't stop us
Oh, whoa, oh
[upbeat music]
- Darren?
- Hey... Gemma.
- I was just painting... inside.
Uh, Darren. This is Ben.
Ben, Darren.
- Heard a lot about you.
Nice to meet you.
- Uh, Ben's renovating
the house.
- With Gemma.
Actually, we're, uh,
renovating it together.
- Oh!
Long way to go, huh?
- Ah, right on schedule, really.
- Hey guy, do you mind
giving us a moment?
- Guy?
[laughs]
- Hey, I'll be just
a few minutes, okay?
- Fine.
This, uh, guy will be right
inside if you need me.
- I guess the contractors
here aren't all
they're cracked up
to be, are they?
- Oh, Ben is fantastic.
I am the amateur.
- Got it.
- But you didn't need
to come here, Darren.
We could have done
this long distance.
- That's true.
But... I can't deny wanting
to see you again.
To present my proposal
in person.
- Don't you think it's a little
late...for a proposal?
- Okay. I deserve that.
And you were right about
a lot of what you said
when we broke up.
But I think I figured out
a way to fix everything.
- Everything?
I thought you just came down
here to help us list the house?
- That was job number one.
But then I got a better idea.
It's even bigger than that.
- What are you talking about?
- Paradise.
For three dozen families.
Think about it. This prime
oceanfront is worth a fortune.
And I already spoke to Orville
Barrington about backing us.
He loves the idea.
You design it, I sell it.
We build it together.
We do our own version of
Twin Pines right here.
The point is...
Your family can benefit from
your auntie's inheritance
in more ways than
they can imagine.
Instead of just
flipping this house,
Sarah gets her bakery.
- How do you even
know about that?
- With the money
from this deal
your dad could go on
a world wide tour of
all the best surf spots.
Emma could get a real
start on life.
She could go to the
college of her choice.
- That's all true.
But it is really unnerving
coming from you, Darren.
- Okay, just think about
the opportunity here.
- What's in it for you?
- This property would be
a financial game-changer
for me, too.
For both of us.
- You have always
been about the deal.
- No, not, not since
you broke up with me.
I've been trying to see
things more like you do.
- Oh, well, I thought
I was just...
sunny and naive?
- That was a really
stupid thing to say.
I'm really sorry about that.
- I gotta get back
in there, but...
I will think about it.
- Great. I'll be on the island
for a few more days.
I've already got the
paperwork drawn up
if you want to move
forward with this.
This could happen fast.
You could start revising your
Twin Pines footprint
immediately,
and Barrington will be on
the first flight here...
the moment you say yes.
[lighthearted ukulele music]
[lighthearted ukulele music]
[lighthearted ukulele music]
- Everything okay?
- Can we just call it a day?
- It's not like you
to shut down early.
Schedule... and all.
- I need to talk to
Sarah and my dad.
- What did he say?
- Darren has an investment
group that...
wants the whole property
for a condo development.
- What about finishing
the house?
- There would be no point if
we go with the development deal.
We'd just have to demo it
all to the ground.
- And you would
be okay with that?
- Financially...
it would mean a whole
new life for my family.
And, and my feelings don't
really matter when
it's what's best for the family.
- What about Auntie Lani?
And what she hoped for
for the renovation?
- Ben, she left me this
property to figure out
what to do with it.
And, and...
that is what I'm trying to do.
- Just let me keep working.
- It would be a waste, Ben.
If we're just going
to tear it all down,
there would be no point.
- I'm sorry, Gemma.
I'm just not ready to say
goodbye to this house.
- I can't do this right now.
Just... can you just
pack up your tools?
Uh, I need to go talk
to my family.
- Okay, so, it's settled then?
- I think it's kind of amazing.
[sighs]
Grandma's Coffee House...
Here I come.
- So you're telling me that
if I pick up my grades the last
two years of high school,
and wanted to go to the mainland
to the private college
of my choice, I could?
- You could.
So... it's settled then?
Dad? You've been kind of quiet.
- I have a couple things
I have to do back at home,
so I'll catch up with
you all later, okay?
[slow soft music]
- Dad?
Dad, I need you to talk to me.
Hey!
I miss her too.
[slow soft music]
- This table was supposed
to be in her room
at the retirement home,
so we had a little piece
of her home for her there.
I started this table
four or five years ago,
and there was other priorities,
there was other jobs.
I couldn't finish it...
before she died.
- Dad, that is not your fault.
Stuff happens, and Auntie
Lani would have understood.
- Yes, I know.
But I am going to
finish this table.
Because we need a piece
of her legacy...
before we bulldoze
down that house.
- Yeah... we do.
- [sniffles] And you know,
just to let you know,
I don't need the world
surfing tour.
I'm very happy the way
I live right here,
just like this.
And you and your sister...
are my aloha.
And will always be.
[soft slow music]
- I really hope that
the condo project is...
the right choice.
- You have your auntie
with you always.
You have your momma
with you always.
And they were a lot
smarter than me.
And so are you.
- A'a I ka hula, waiho
I ka maka'u I ka hale.
- And I agree.
Mahalo ke akua.
[soft slow music]
[soft slow music]
[knocking]
- Come in.
- So, the spinning pinwheel
of death means that you need
to clean out your laptop
more than once every decade.
Your hard drive was full
of digital garbage that
was just slowing
everything down.
That's the reason why your
email was being balky.
- So it's fixed?
- It's fixed.
- And I wasn't ghosted?
- You weren't ghosted.
Well, you better hurry
up and get ready.
We do not want to be
late for the signing.
- Okay.
- Gemma...
There was something
I wanted to say earlier
when we were on Skype.
And I held back because I
don't ever want you to think
I'm interfering with your life.
But after we hung up
I kicked myself.
Of course, I want to interfere,
because you're my little peanut.
So, here goes...
When it comes to love,
don't ever settle for less
than you deserve.
True love is more than
a practical choice.
I pray God brings you a man
who will love and cherish you,
not for what you can give him,
but for who you are.
Yeah, I know I'm biased,
but you are a very
special young lady
who is going to change
the world with your gifts.
And you deserve someone
who will see that in you,
like I do.
Oh no, I gotta go.
I'm late to meet
your daddy for lunch.
A hui hou.
I love you, Peanut.
[soft music]
- I love you, too, Auntie Lani.
[crying]
[car pulling up]
[car doors close]
[upbeat music]
- I thought you said you stopped
working on the house?
- We did.
- I don't think Auntie Lani
got the memo.
- Neither did Ben.
- Oh my gosh.
[upbeat music]
- I...
I don't understand why
Ben finished the exterior.
- I learned long ago
never question a miracle.
- Aloha,familia!
[chuckles]
Mr. Burke!
Hey!
Whoo-hoo.
Good to see you again.
- Mr. Barrington, this is my
dad, Pono, my sister, Sarah,
my niece, Emma, and my
brother-in-law, Mike.
- Nice to see you all.
This is the most
beautiful property
I could ever hope to develop.
And I'm glad to see there's
no hard feelings between
us about Twin Pines.
- No, sir.
- Gemma would never burn bridges
with a business relationship.
- Well, shall we get started?
- Who should we start with?
Start with Sarah?
All right! Uh, do you mind...?
Thank you.
There we go.
- Auntie Lani would have loved
what you did with the house.
- Here...
and here...
and hello bakery.
Perfect.
And actually...
I have my own special pen
for Gemma to sign with.
- Wow.
Wow, um...
what is this?
Darren?
- It's my amends... to you.
I'm sorry for blindsiding you,
but just, I didn't want
to ruin the surprise.
- You are unbelievable.
- What's going on here?
- Please, indulge me for
a moment, Mr. Barrington.
- You're proposing
to the sunny girl?
Oh, lovely.
- What did you just call me?
- Gemma, sweetheart, I thought
this would be a romantic way
to start our new partnership.
To restart...
our life together.
- Darren, we don't have
a life together anymore.
- But we could.
We could be partners
in every single way.
[upbeat ukulele music]
- No... we can't.
[laughs]
- Why not?
- It wasn't until just now
that I realized that...
I already have a partner.
Mr. Barrington, my apologies
for Darren bringing you
all this way for nothing.
And...
Sarah, I promise that
I will help you find a way
to get your dream.
[sighs]
The deal is off.
I am not selling the property.
- Gemma... please.
- I could sue you for this.
- Yes, you could.
But I suggest that you just
stay for a couple of days.
Sit on the beach, let
the waves lap your toes.
Do a little snorkeling
and let the ocean,
just wash all of that
pompous off of you.
And then you can head
back to the mainland,
and be a sunnier,
more naive human being.
- I will have your firm
shut down so fast
that you don't even-
[hand slap on shoulder]
- Tell you what, Brotha,
why don't you follow me home?
I'll teach you how to
crack open a coconut.
Maybe you can sip on
that for a little while.
- Uh...
- Beat it.
- Darren.
[light upbeat music]
- Mr. Barrington! I...
- What now, sis?
- I go find my partner.
[light upbeat music]
- Yee-hoo!
[laughter]
[happy guitar music]
[happy guitar music]
- Wow!
I don't know if you saw,
but I just sent Darren
and Barrington packing.
- Yeah, I didn't
want to eavesdrop,
but I, uh, I watched the whole
thing through the window.
[happy guitar music]
[upbeat music]
- That's it, right there.
That's the look I wanted
to see on your face.
You know you told me you
live for the first impression
a job makes on a client.
Well, that was my wish, too.
First time you walked in here.
- It is so beautiful.
I mean, it's more beautiful than
I ever could have imagined.
Outside and in.
- I had to finish the house,
even if the bulldozers
were coming.
- I don't know how
you got all this done.
I mean, forty-eight hours ago,
you were packing up your tools.
- Yeah, I recruited a team.
My buddies at Subato Studios
stepped up with the furniture,
and I had Ethan call all
his millennial buddies.
[laughs]
I wanted you to
see it like this.
Like a woman in
a beautiful gown.
- The whale window
never looked so good.
I never thought about this
with Auntie Lani's house,
until today, when I walked in.
You turned this into a home
that I can see myself
living in someday.
- We turned this
into a home. And...
I agree.
Even if I do have to have the
furniture back in a few days.
- It's all rented?
- Yeah.
All but one piece.
- Aloha kakahiaka.
- Oh, my gosh.
- Ah-ha-ha...
Dad, you finished it.
- I did. [sighs]
- It's beautiful.
- It is.
- So you were in on this
whole conspiracy too?
- He was one of the
favors I called in.
- So, Peanut, where
would you like it?
- Over there, Dad.
It's a good place to
watch the whales from.
- All right.
- Perfect.
- Yeah.
- I love you.
- I love you too, Daddy.
- And I love you too, buddy.
- Love you, Pono.
- All right!
- So, what changed
your mind out there?
- It was something
my Auntie Lani said.
About... being with people
who love you for who you are.
Not for what you
can do for them.
You know, my whole life,
I feel like I've been trying
to be that person...
someone that I'm not.
Trying to earn their
love instead of just...
opening my arms to the people
who already love me.
- So...
who already loves you?
- Well...
my Auntie Lani was one.
And my dad.
And Sarah.
My family cares for me that way.
- Anybody else?
- Ben...
I am so sorry that
I gave up on you.
You've never given up
on this house or on me.
- I never will.
[bright guitar music]
[birds singing]
- It worked really well...
[laughs] Mmm-hm.
- Hope you guys are hungry!
- Uh, Dad is on the prowl,
so you better get those
crab cakes out here quick.
Ah, it smells amazing!
- Crab cake?
- Thank you!
- Emma made the raspberry tarts.
- I can't wait to try one.
- She's got a knack for cooking.
[giggles]
- Mmmm. Oh...
my...
- Goodness!
- Oh!
You know what, I drove passed
Grandma's Coffee House today,
and the for sale sign was down.
- Really?
Oh. Well, I hope somebody
makes good use of the property.
- Me, too.
- Yeah. Me, too!
- Wait, what?
[laughs]
- You are going to be very busy,
because you are the new owner!
- How?
- Well, I sold my condo in L.A.,
and you would not
believe how much I got
for 900 square feet
in Los Angeles.
- Enough to buy a bakery?
- 'O 'oe ke hele.
- Oh, Gemma...
Mahalo!
- [Gemma] I love you.
- Yeah, ha-ha!
You know Sarah's Bakery
is going to be great!
- Wait, you knew?
- Papa knows everything.
[laughing]
- Welcome home, Gemma.
[instrumental music]
[instrumental music]
I guess falling in love is
Just like this
Realizing there is something's
you can't change
Growing up with
An old friend
Realizing something's
stay the same
Just take my hand
And pull me in again
If you'll be my man
I'll be your happy ending
I'll be your happy ending
I'll be your happy ending
I'll be your happy ending
Somehow always
Too little, too late
We can get it
right this time
Leave it all behind
Leave the timing to fate
Even if it's just
for the night
Just take my hand
And pull me in again
If you'll be my man
I'll be your happy ending
I'll be your happy ending
I'll be your happy ending
I'll be your happy ending
Oh, oh
Oh, oh
Oh, oh
Just take my hand
And pull me in again
You'll be my man
I'll be your happy ending
I'll be your happy ending
You'll be my happy ending
Oh, oh
This is our happy ending
This is our happy ending